Case Study

Syrenis

What we did for Syrenis

Industry: Information Technology and Services

Published: 14/11/2024

Project Overview

Syrenis is a long time Check Point customer, and in 2019, they brought in SEP2 to manage their firewalls and email security. In addition to these services, SEP2 has begun providing KnowBe4 Security Awareness Training to further enhance their security posture. This case study highlights Syrenis’ longstanding relationship with SEP2, showcasing how our collaboration has evolved and strengthened over time to meet their growing needs and challenges.

Syrenis is a global leader in data privacy solutions that supports enterprise-level clients, specialising in software as a service (SaaS) through their products Cassie and SMART. Cassie is a consent and preference management platform that centrally manages over 1.2 billion customer records for large organisations, including the largest food delivery company in the US and one of the top three US pharmaceutical companies. SMART is a stakeholder management and engagement platform that helps organisations track engagement at an individual and organisational level.

The Challenge

Limited bandwidth
Tight schedules
Complex compliance requirements

The Solution

Expert support
Enhanced security posture
Seamless expansion

The Challenge

When David Murfitt joined the Syrenis team as a Chief Technology Officer (CTO), the company was relatively small, with around fifteen employees. In his previous role, David had adopted a managed service approach, relying on external support for Check Point technologies. Recognising the limited bandwidth of the Syrenis team, he understood the necessity of outsourcing, seeking an organisation with the skills and knowledge to effectively assist his small team.

The Solution

When looking for a solutions provider, David prioritised expertise with Check Point products as well as significant experience.

“I was looking for an organisation that would be at least a technology equal, if not a technology expert. Not a reseller of products with a light touch but somebody who can get to the answer and has the experience directly. I wanted to talk to someone in an organisation who really knew the product and how it worked and, even better, had previous experience and an understanding of what you’re trying to do.”

As a rapidly scaling software company, time was critical for getting operations up and running smoothly. In the SaaS industry, any service interruptions can significantly impact customers, and David was keen to avoid this. He was impressed with SEP2’s level of expertise, attitude and approach. He could see that the SEP2 team understood his pain points and were dedicated to finding solutions, aligning perfectly with his needs. Over time, David developed a strong relationship with SEP2, as both companies shared similarities as small organisations emerging in the tech industry.

Working with SEP2

As Syrenis continued to grow, they decided to increase their product sales in the US market. They encountered different compliance requirements to the UK, including SOC2. To comply, Syrenis needed to implement a security awareness training program within their organisation. SEP2’s Security Awareness Training (SAT) service, powered by KnowBe4, helped Syrenis meet these requirements and effectively educate their employees.

David has enjoyed working with SEP2, having established close relationships with team members who have been with the company since its inception. He feels comfortable to reach out to any member of staff regardless of seniority if he needs help. David has noted the excellent support he has received and finds it very easy to keep track of tickets through the SEP2 portal. As someone who is always on the move, he appreciates the ability to respond to tickets on the go.

KnowBe4 Partnership

To support Syrenis’ SOC2 compliance and US market expansion, SEP2 introduced KnowBe4 Security Awareness Training. KnowBe4 offers a comprehensive library of training content covering topics such as social engineering, spear phishing, and ransomware. Their structured approach helped Syrenis transition from informal training methods to a measurable, effective programme. David has seen a direct correlation between training participation and reduced security incidents, reinforcing the value of this partnership in strengthening Syrenis’ cyber resilience.

Looking to the Future

Looking ahead, SEP2 is excited to further support Syrenis as they scale and adapt to new landscapes. Their shared values and mutual understanding of the high demands in the tech industry position them well to tackle future challenges together. SEP2 looks forward to continuing their strong partnership, driving innovation, and delivering exceptional service to support Syrenis’ ongoing growth and success.

Testimonials

Hear From Those We Protect

You’re vendor agnostic, which is key for growth, and your team are providing really good insights in terms of the alerts raised. They also provide meaningful context behind them, which is great for us as an organisation,”

When we hit the limits of our knowledge, it’s having SEP2 there to say, ‘Try these things first.’ That expertise on hand is really important to us.

To have people like that around our account that we can pick the phone up to and ask questions was refreshing. Ultimately, we trusted SEP2 and we trust you with our cyber security.

Often the term used is ‘you can’t see the wood for the trees’. Most organisations implement security tooling tools and you’ve got different dashboards. The idea is you put them into a single place, and leverage expert resource such as the SEP2 SOC that actually understands that data and work with it on a daily basis. They can assess it case-by-case and escalate it back to us at Funding Circle only when necessary. And that whole process has been really, really smooth.

They are phenomenal: both personable and very knowledgeable. Our main contact is like a fountain of knowledge. If you ask him a question, he always comes back with ten answers – all the shades of grey, not just a ‘Yes’ or ‘No.’ To me that shows the level of passion he has, and that he really wants to do things properly.

The original group of people who founded SEP2 were very deep in their knowledge of this type of technology, which can be complicated. It’s become the whole field of firewalls, intrusion prevention, antivirus, ransomware, etc. Cyber security as a whole has really ballooned, and there’s lots of dimensions to it, but you’ve managed to keep up.

During the evaluation process it was clear to me that SEP2 were the strongest candidate from a technical standpoint. During our first meeting, their ability to give immediate solutions to ongoing issues we were experiencing at the time was a breath of fresh air.

SEP2 are knowledgeable, motivated and switched on; they take ownership and they have a drive for resolution. They know their stuff! They are not merely a firewall partner, they are a cyber security partner. They take a strategic approach. They are approachable and offer additional value outside of their support contract. Working with SEP2 means we are no longer fire-fighting; rather we can now take a step back and proactively get things sorted. SEP2 say they are tech driven and people powered, and that’s exactly what they are! It all comes down to the people you are dealing with.

They live and breathe the technology. It comes from the top, however, everyone is an expert within SEP2, from sales through to the service desk. We don’t want to wait to be told what more we can get from vendors’ products. SEP2 are great in pro-actively helping us achieve value-add solutions. They aren’t about chasing revenues, they are about providing best possible value.